Food Navigator-USAWhen it comes to food and nutrition, there are some ideas that we’ve accepted as common sense: Water is good. Monosodium glutamate is probably bad. Sodium in general isn’t great, but sea salt is a plus. Garlic is tasty. And what the heck is lecithin?
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With heightened awareness of the health benefits of blueberries (antioxidants, anthocyanins, anti-aging research…), show your customers that you use real blueberries with the Real Blueberries™ Seal! Go to: https://realblueberries.org/real-blueberries-seal/

ReutersMany U.S. Hispanics are venturing out only to buy essential goods and are cutting back on discretionary spending, worried about possible harassment by immigration or law enforcement officials since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to community groups, research firms and retailers.
This change in consumer behavior by the country's second-fastest-growing ethnic group has recently been cited as a cause for worry by already-struggling consumer companies, from big-box retailers to auto parts makers.READ MORE

PoliticoThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cleared Amazon's $13.7 billion purchase of Whole Foods, giving the e-commerce giant a major victory in Washington, D.C., even as it remains a frequent punching bag of President Donald Trump.
The FTC's decision removes any federal antitrust obstacles to the deal, announced in mid-June. The agency took the lead on reviewing the transaction rather than the Justice Department.READ MORE

CNBCDitching North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) without a replacement could be devastating to U.S. agriculture and end up costing Americans more for groceries, according to experts.
Mexico and Canada represent nearly one-third of total U.S. agricultural exports. Corn, soybeans, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as livestock and dairy are major U.S. exports to those countries.READ MORE

EURACTIVU.S. meddling and counterfeit Chinese trademarks are threatening to unpick the bilateral agreement between Beijing and Brussels on geographical indications of food products.
According to documents from the Greek Ministry of Agriculture, the negotiations between the European Union and China for mutual recognition of 200 food products protected by geographical indications — 100 from each side — will have to reconcile the EU’s quality schemes with 25 homonymous trademarks already registered in the People’s Republic of China.READ MORE

Food Dive Grocers have expanded their assortment of nonfood products in an effort to earn higher margins while also stealing business away from other retailers, according to USA Today.
Lidl will feature apparel from supermodel Heidi Klum’s fashion line this fall, while other grocers offer everything from boogie boards to rugs and linens. Sprouts Farmers Markets stores sell yoga mats and beeswax candles.
While grocery products are often marked up 12 percent to 23 percent, according to USA Today, nonfood items more than double those margins. Electronics can earn 35 percent to 50 percent margins, sporting goods 40 percent to 65 percent and apparel 60 percent to 100 percent.READ MORE

WUWM-FMAt the Wisconsin State Fair, among the extreme food offerings — like, say, the deep-fried bacon-wrapped olives on a stick — was one menu option you might have missed: cricket nachos.
Although the idea of cricket nachos might sound repulsive to many fairgoers, the shock value was served up with a side order of science. As the fair's menu described it: "Cricket nachos have all the flavor of regular nachos but are high in protein and gluten free! Crickets are a sustainable protein that require less water to grow, providing an eco-friendly way of eating."READ MORE

Food Safety NewsRemove meat from a man’s diet, and he may well slip into depression.
The current issue of the prestigious Journal of Affective Disorders, which includes the report titled “Vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms among men,” comes to that conclusion.READ MORE

Food Dive Cargill has invested in Memphis Meats, the startup behind the world's first cell-cultured meatball and chicken strip, according to a press release. Cargill did not reveal the size of the stake, but its investment was part of a $17 million Series A funding round led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), a venture capital firm that has previously backed Tesla. Richard Branson, Bill Gates and venture capital firms DFJ and Atomico also invested in the latest round.
This is the first investment by a traditional meat company in the "clean meat" segment, where companies use cutting-edge cell-replicating technology to grow beef, poultry and fish from living animal tissue. “Our investment in Memphis Meats is an exciting way for Cargill to explore the potential in this growing segment of the protein market," Sonya McCullum Roberts, president of growth ventures for Cargill Protein, said in a Memphis Meats release. "Memphis Meats has the potential to provide our customers and consumers with expanded protein choices and is aligned with our mission to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.”READ MORE